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A Milestone Year for Fall Character Trips

October 1, 2018

Whether it was rafting a rapid, sailing through ocean swells, portaging a canoe, or planning for life in college and beyond, September’s fall trips provided multiple opportunities for upper schoolers to demonstrate Principia’s Community Commitment—“Strive, Conquer, Love, Give.”

This year marks the first year that a single class—12th grade—has been on a fall trip all four years at Upper School. The trips are designed to serve as a “culture setter” for the year, as Trips Coordinator Brad Warrick (US’90, C’94) explains: “The planned and spontaneous challenges they produce build students’ confidence in their ability to turn to Christian Science and apply it together.”

Students returned from their adventures in Minnesota (freshmen), Idaho (sophomores), Maine (juniors), and Michigan (seniors) brimming with examples of the courage, selflessness, and spiritual inspiration expressed or experienced. One freshman completed multiple canoe portages in the Boundary Waters without complaint, even though one of her shoes came apart almost entirely on the second day of the trip. On a particularly tough day on the Atlantic, junior class Crews and chaperones sang hymns and supported each other in conquering bouts of seasickness and fear. And the list goes on . . .

Whether working individually or figuring out how to gel as teams, students were called on to move out of their “comfort zones” and into the “learning zone,” as Dean of Innovation and Academics Peter Dry put it. During the Monday morning chapel following the trips, Dry reminded students that being in the learning zone requires exploring opportunities and activities they may have never tried before—and that the rewards of doing so include growth in confidence, grace, and understanding.

At that chapel, students (and the parents in attendance) gave a resounding round of applause for the School faculty and staff—those who accompanied the students as trip chaperones as well as those who remained on campus and committed to providing daily metaphysical support for our travelers. Highlights shared at the chapel included the following:

Stronger relationships with classmates and crewmates was high on the list for all students. “It was a great time for bonding,” said sophomore Miguel, adding, “I got to grow a lot in how I communicate . . . [which] is a great help for when I’m here communicating with people in the classroom.”

Overcoming fear and self-imposed limits also struck a chord with many. Freshman Genevieve recalled the importance of facing down fear and focusing on “the real and spiritual [rather] than on the illusion and what could go wrong.”

The impact of selflessness and group support were takeaways across the grades, particularly among the seniors, who delved into the concept of synergy. Describing the image of geese drafting in their typical vee formation, senior William noted, “All together we can do better than one of us alone.”